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Hi Simon,

Your valuable advise and lessons inspired me to take the IELTS test again which I was gave up a year before.

I've took the exam again on 22nd September and got same score (L7.5 R 7 W 6.5 and S 7) like before yesterday. Failed again to make four 7. Writing is my weak part in IELTS and haven't made more than 6.5 ever.

I'd like to ask for remark this time. Also got the same score before but never asked for remarking. Could you please advice me something or do you think it will be worth to ask for remarking?

Hi,
i too repeatedly getting 6.5 in writing(7 times)I never ask for remarking,because very very rarely your score will be change in remarking.At the same time,they charge too much for remarking. Anyway wish you all the best.

This is trend nowdays.They give 6.5 unless your essay is extra ordinary then you can get 7 or above.
Marking criteria are very vague.Wit that criteria they can give you anyband still if they want to give 6 band that can give you.there not much difference 6and7 criteria.

Regarding your comments here and also your style of writing and grammatical structure, I should point out some issues here.
Given the fact that obtaining the band 7 in IELTS test is so demanding, lets not forget the fact that in your comments above, there had been some obvious and careless grammatical mistakes which make your essay far from band 7.
Students who are leaping to acquire this band should be flawless of theses mistakes.

We are not in writing exam at the moment,and you dont give exam on computer.I am not good with computer so I dont bother to correct my mistakes here,eventhough I know where my mistakes are,because its time counsuming.
In IELTS we do proofreading to find out any mistakes,here we dont.
ONe more thing three 8 and one 6.5,mean youare damm good.you dont get three eight with poor english.
Writing exam is subjective.what does it mean.Why dont they allow you to look at your mistakes.

Hi Abbas
If you write 'u' instead of 'you' then you wont get 7 bands,doesnt matter how good you are.

And read your second last comment.
Thanks you or thank you.I know you have corrected but I dont bother if I do same mistake.
I have already acheived required score which was overall 7.5 with no less than 7 in any module.8,8,7.5,7.5

its so interesting that still U have held grudge against me :-)))
come on i just said what was in my thoughts and didn't want to offend anyone. your comments are turning into a standing joke from now on if you dont stop it ;-)

Hi, Simon,
I just got my score. Only 0.5 less in the listening. What a pity! I have a question about how to write the words. Can I write all the answers in capital letter in listening part? Is that OK?

Hi Simon,
I've just done with a test in Cam 5 but have some difficulty knowing the reasons for my mistakes. Could you please explain me with the number 24 and 26 page 93/ Cam 5. I can't find the answers in the text.
I know that you cannot answer all the questions individually but i don't know where to ask this. If anyone here could help me with this, i will really appreciate.

Regarding your first question (no. 24) as you can see on page 89 paragraph 3 is explaining that they have seen "hundreds of cases and it is just the tip of the iceberg", which means "little doubt" .
And about your second question (no. 26) on page 90 one paragraph left to the end of the passage you can see " Data showing the scale of the nickel sulphide problem is almost impossible to find" which is, False.

About this question, "Modern lifestyles mean that many parents have little time for their children. Many children suffer because they do not get as much attention from their parents as children did in the past.

Do you agree or disagree?"

Do I need to write one paragraph about the first sentence and the another paragraph about the other sentence or simply talk about this situation in general by giving two ideas in two paragraph?

hi simon
i have got confusio with writing opinion essays clearly i am wondering how i can write introduction for the opinio essay that include 2 arguments for agree ad 1 for disagree could you please explain it and give a sample for that type essay
profuse thanks beforehand

Hi Simon. I have question for you about distration happend during the listening exam.During the listening exam when the Tape reached in question 21-24, the Azan( prayer)from outside the examination hall. It start distraction during the question 21-24.so i totly missed the listening conversation during that particular time..The head of the exam " Paused" the listning tape after question 24. she did not rewind it. I made compalint and then further apply EOR for listening. The british council offered me full free IELTS Test again , as they said that no benfit for EOR because computer will check the listening result.but my concern is that awarded me 4 marks as compensation rather giving the full Ielts exam again.because i got the 7, 6.5,6.0 in other module. i got 5.5 in listening due to that distration.So please can you answer me that what is the exactly criteria if distration caused during liesning exam about compensation because retaking all 4 module of ielts, i do not understand any sense.please reply me.